It News

July 11, 2012

Mitt Romney booed at NAACP. Could that be good for him?

Mitt Romney booed at NAACP. Could that be good for him? (+video)

The jeering started when Mitt Romney told the NAACP crowd that he would eliminate 'Obamacare.' Conservative analysts say the incident gives him credibility on the right and among independents.
By Peter Grier, Staff writer / July 11, 2012

Mitt Romney was booed on Wednesday while speaking at the NAACP annual meeting in Houston. The moment occurred a little past the halfway mark of the presumptive GOP nominee’s address, when he talked about what he’d do to curb government spending.
“I’m going to eliminate every nonessential expensive program I can find. That includes ‘Obamacare,’ ” said Romney.

NBA salary cap to stay at $58 million for upcoming season

Jul 10, 2012
By Kevin Connelly, USA TODAY

The NBA announced their salary cap and luxury tax for the 2012-13 season, which will remain the same as it was the past two seasons: $58.044 million for the salary cap and $70.307 million for the luxury tax threshold.

While the NBA's free agency period opened July 1, teams and players could only verbally agree to deals until the moratorium period ended.

As of 12:01 am EDT Wednesday, unofficial agreements can now become written contracts.

San Francisco plans to ban officials from buying Apple Macs

10 July 2012 by bbc news

City officials in San Francisco plan to block local government agencies from buying new Apple Macintosh computers.

The move follows the firm's decision to pull out of a green certification scheme designed to identify which electronic devices pose the least risk to the environment.

CIO Journal reported the ban was designed to encourage Apple to reconsider.

FBI warned U.S. Labor Department data might be leaked-report

Jul 11, 2012
(Reuters) - The U.S. Labor Department's recent tightening of security around sensitive economic data came after the FBI and market regulators expressed worries that the data could be leaked, according to a report posted on a government website on Tuesday.

The report highlighted concerns that financial institutions had in effect gained access to the Labor Department's press room to get an early glimpse of economic reports.

Man Admits to Plot to Bomb Pentagon

July 10, 2012
By EVAN PEREZ

A Massachusetts man plans to plead guilty to federal terrorism charges in a plot to bomb the Pentagon with a remote-controlled model airplane.
A plea agreement Rezwan Ferdaus signed was filed Tuesday by federal prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Boston. In it, he admitted to attempting to damage and destroy a federal building, and providing material support to terrorists.

Mr. Ferdaus's attorney confirmed the plea deal, which includes agreeing to accept a 17-year prison sentence, followed by 10 years of supervised release. The plea deal is contingent on approval by a federal judge, who has set a hearing for July 20.

Mr. Ferdaus, of Ashland, Mass., is a U.S. citizen and graduate of Northeastern University with a degree in physics, authorities said. He was arrested in September 2011 in a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation in which FBI agents provided him fake explosives. The plot never posed a danger to the public because it was controlled by the agents, authorities said.

Annan says Iran must be player in Syria crisis talks

Annan says Iran must be player in Syria crisis talks
By Douglas Hamilton
BEIRUT | Wed Jul 11, 2012 4:35am IST

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad (3rd R) meets U.N. Syria peace envoy Kofi Annan in Damascus July 9, 2012, in this handout photograph released by Syria's national news agency SANA. With them are: Bouthaina Shaaban (R), adviser to Syria's president, and Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem (2nd R). REUTERS-SANA

(Reuters) - U.N. peace envoy Kofi Annan waded into big power politics on Tuesday, insisting regional heavyweight Iran should be involved in efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Syria crisis despite the West's firm rejection of a role for Tehran.

The United States and its NATO and Gulf Arab allies are opposed to involving the Islamic Republic, which strongly backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and is regarded as their main adversary in the Middle East.

Such diplomatic rifts have prevented effective international action to end the 16-month-old conflict in Syria.

Live: Verlander rocked in first, NL leads 8-0

Jul 10, 2012

Live: Verlander rocked in first, NL leads 8-0

Major League Baseball's 83rd All-Star game is set in Kansas City with the National League team going for its third-consecutive win.

The American League - which won the previous 12 games with a 2002 tie squeezed in - will look to regain home field advantage for the World Series.

BOX SCORE: NL 8, AL 0

Kansas City is hosting the Midsummer Classic for the third time and second at Kauffman Stadium. The city hosted the game in 1973 - when Kauffman was known as Royals Stadium - and 1960.

Euro wallows around two-year lows against dollar

By Lisa Twaronite
TOKYO | Wed Jul 11, 2012
(Reuters) - The euro wallowed around two-year lows against the dollar on Wednesday as investors waited to see if a German court would approve the use of euro zone's bailout fund to help contain the region's debt crisis.

The euro was changing hands at $1.2253, with Monday's EBS two-year low of $1.2225 in sight, opening the way to a test of $1.20 support. If that level is breached, the pair could move to test its June 2010 low of $1.1875.

Global stocks wary on China trade, Europe talks

Global stock markets monitor China June trade growth figures and Europe talks
2012/7/10
By Toby Sterling, Associated Press

<p> FILE -- In a July 3, 2012 file photo trader Stephen Holden, right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday, July 3, 2012. The U.S. economy added a less than expected 80,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said Friday July 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, file)

AMSTERDAM (AP) -- Stock markets showed tentative signs of recovery Tuesday in spite of weak trade figures from China and nervousness over European finance ministers' progress at a meeting focused on easing Spain's banking crisis.
In early trading in Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.6 percent 5,663.38. France's CAC-40 was up 1.05 percent at 3,190.27 while Germany's DAX was also up 0.9 percent at 6,446.29. Futures augured slight gains on Wall Street. Dow futures were up 0.22 percent at 12,713 and S&P 500 futures were up slightly, 0.16 percent, at 1,351.30.

Justin Bieber Tweets Support To Usher Following Stepson's Jet Ski Accident'Climax' singer's stepson was declared 'brain dead'

BY HOLLY FRITH ON JULY 10, 2012

Justin Bieber Tweets Support To Usher Following Stepson's Jet Ski Accident'Climax' singer's stepson was declared 'brain dead'

Justin Bieber has offered his "prayers" to Usher and ex-wife Tameka Raymond after the 'Climax' singer's stepson was declared "brain dead" following a horrific jet ski accident last week.

Kyle Glover, 11 was hit by a jet ski last Friday (July 6) on Lake Lanier in Atlanta, Georgia. It's since been reported by TMZ that doctors have declared Kyle to be 'brain dead'.

Despite a messy split from his ex-wife, Usher is said to have flown to be by Tameka's side in the hospital on Saturday night. Usher and Tameka divorced back in 2009 but Us Weekly have reported that he is keen

Beyoncé's Ode to Frank Ocean: "Brave," "Fearless" for Revealing He Loved a Man

by Natalie Finn Mon., Jul. 10, 2012
Count Beyoncé among the celebs who have come out in support of Frank Ocean.
The pop star has posted an ode to the "Novacane" singer on her blog, celebrating his decision to open up about a relationship he had with a man when he was 19.
"Be fearless, be honest, be generous," begins Beyoncé's free-verse poem about Ocean, whose latest album, Channel Orange, debuted on iTunes tonight in advance of its July 17 hard-copy release.
MORE: Beyoncé's sister Solange Knowles among celebs singing Frank Ocean's praises
Beyoncé continued: "Be brave, be poetic, be open, be free, be yourself, be in love, be happy, be

Internet virus affects few, if any, Iowa customers

Jul 10, 2012

A publicity push to raise awareness about an expiring court order that would have potentially left many without Internet access Monday appears to have worked in Iowa, for the most part.

Des Moines metro area Internet providers said Monday they were not aware of any customers who lost access after the FBI took temporary servers offline at 11:01 p.m. CDT Sunday.

“We are not seeing any customer issues regarding the ... DNSChanger (virus),” said Mediacom’s Des

A Champion With Great Feeling

By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY
Published: July 9, 2012
WIMBLEDON, England

The morning after had a melancholy feel this year at Wimbledon: more drizzle, empty picnic tables and bare patches in the lawn on Henman Hill, which would surely have needed a new name if Andy Murray had managed to give his Union Jacked fans what they were shouting for Sunday.

Reggie Jackson: 'When timing is proper, I'll return'

Jul 09, 2012
By Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY

Reggie Jackson has been banned indefinitely by the New York Yankees after he made disparaging comments about Alex Rodriguez published in last week's edition of Sports Illustrated.

Jackson confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that he has been asked to stay away from the team.

Said Jackson, choosing his words carefully: "The Yankees think that the timing is not right for me to be around the team right now. When the Yankees feel that the timing is proper, I'll return.''

Consumer bureau proposes rules for risky, high-cost mortgages

By Blake Ellis @CNNMoney July 9, 2012
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed rules Monday aimed at protecting more borrowers from getting stuck with mortgages carrying high rates and fees or risky terms.
The government's consumer watchdog is seeking to allow more consumers to qualify for the protections offered by the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA) by expanding the definition of what qualifies as a "high-cost mortgage." It's also offering more safeguards for these borrowers.

Amid Egypt president-army struggle

Amid Egypt president-army struggle, it's unclear who's in charge

With Egypt's president and military maneuvering against each other, Egyptians are left wondering who's running the country. Egypt President Mohamed Morsi and Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi

Egypt President Mohamed Morsi and Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi

By Jeffrey Fleishman and Reem Abdellatif, Los Angeles Times
July 10, 2012
CAIRO — The power struggle between Egypt's president and military leaders is becoming increasingly murky, leaving many Egyptians confused over who is running the country and whether laws and court rulings even apply amid the persistent political disarray.

January to June 2012 warmest first half of any year on record

July 9, 2012
By Michelle Castillo

(CBS News) January to June 2012 was the warmest first half of any year on record for the contiguous United States, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The average temperature during that period was at 52.9 degrees F, which is 4.5 degrees above the typical average. Twenty-eight states east of the Rockys were had record warm temperatures, with an additional 15 states in the top 10 for warm temperatures. Every state across the contiguous U.S. had

Obama Intensifies Tax Fight

President Calls for Extension of Bush Cuts for Some; High Earners Would See Increase
July 9, 2012
By LAURA MECKLER and DAMIAN PALETTA
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama proposed a one-year extension of Bush-era tax cuts for families earning less than $250,000 a year but would let them rise for wealthier Americans, a move that both shifts the election debate to tax rates and sets the table for a showdown with Republicans in Congress.

Mr. Obama's move didn't break new policy ground—he essentially repackaged his existing policy for the campaign season. Nor is it likely to pave the way for action from a deeply divided Congress already

Sluggers eager to show off in Home Run Derby

By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | 07/09/12
KANSAS CITY -- The Gold Balls? They've raised thousands of dollars for worthy causes since they became a pivotal part of the annual State Farm Home Run Derby.

The Gold Shoes? That's a new addition, courtesy of Matt Kemp.

Kemp debuted and donned the spectacular sneakers at the pre-Derby press conference here Monday, adding a little more flair to the pre-power proceedings.

Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes Keeping Divorce Deal Strictly Confidential

BY MARY GREEN
Monday July 09, 2012
With reports swirling about everything from restrictions on Suri Cruise's nannies to her exposure to Scientology, Katie Holmes's lawyer warns the public to be wary of stories about the settlement with Tom Cruise.

"There are numerous inaccuracies in the reports regarding the purported contents of the agreement reached between the parties," says attorney Jonathan Wolfe. "The agreement is confidential and its terms will not be disclosed."

Holmes, 33, and Cruise, 50, announced on Monday morning that both sides had settled the divorce action just days after the actress filed

Jose Bautista is the Home Run Derby betting favorite

Jul 09, 2012

Jose Bautista is the Home Run Derby betting favorite

It will all come down to room service fastballs tonight but don't be surprised if Jose Bautista goes yard after yard.

The Blue Jays' star is the +350 favorite (on a $100 bet) to win the Home Run Derby tonight.

Samsung's tablet 'not as cool as iPad'

Samsung wins in UK and US as it overturns attempts by Apple to ban sales of tablet and Nexus smartphone
Charles Arthur and agencies
guardian.co.uk, Monday 9 July 2012

Samsung won a victory over Apple in the UK high court as part of its world-spanning battle over intellectual property and design after a judge ruled the design of its Galaxy Tab isn't cool enough to be confused with an iPad.

The ruling, by Judge Colin Birss, means that Apple cannot stop the import or sale of the Galaxy Tab 10 under claims it has made that the designs are too close to those of the iPad.

Instead, Judge Birss ruled that Samsung's designs did not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design: "They are not as cool."

Mitt Romney raised $106 million in June

By Holly Bailey
July 9, 2012
Mitt Romney's campaign officially confirmed his record-breaking fundraising month in June, announcing Monday that he raised $106 million for his campaign and the Republican National Committee last month.

The total includes contributions to the Romney campaign and the Romney Victory Fund, a joint committee set up between the campaign and the RNC. According to a statement from the Romney campaign, the combined fundraising effort ended the month with more than $160 million cash on hand.

Government overpaid $14 billion in unemployment benefits

By Annalyn Censky | CNNMoney.com
Don't spend that unemployment check too fast. The government might ask you to pay it back.
Overpayments are a rampant problem in the unemployment insurance system. The federal government and states overpaid an estimated $14 billion in benefits in fiscal 2011, or roughly 11% of all the jobless benefits paid out, according to reports from the U.S. Labor Department.
Of the states, Indiana was the worst offender, making more improper payments than it did correct ones.

Wall Streeters Lose $2 Billion in 401(k) Bet on Own Firms

By Michael J. Moore | Bloomberg
Jul 9, 2012
Wall Street employees, who dispense financial advice to individuals and companies, aren't following a basic investing tenet with their own money: diversification.
Workers at the five largest Wall Street banks saw the value of company stock in their 401(k) accounts, sometimes the biggest holding of those plans, decline more than $2 billion last year, according to

Mars Rover Curiosity Is One Month Away From Landing

JULY 8, 2012 BY NATHAN

The largest rover ever launched to explore an alien planet is only one month away from landing on Mars.
NASA’s very large rover, Curiosity, is headed towards its scheduled late-night landing on Mars, on Aug. 5 PDT (early Aug. 6 EDT).
“At 1 ton, Curiosity is the largest rover ever aimed at Mars. It will land in a completely new way, using a giant parachute and a rocket-powered sky crane. And it is carrying a sophisticated set of tools to find out if its Martian drop zone could once have been home for life.”
Of course, first, Curiosity has to reach Mars in one piece.

Adrian Peterson on arrest: The 'truth will surface'

Jul 08, 2012
By Matt Eppers, USA TODA

We are certain that Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was arrested at a Houston nightclub early Saturday morning.
Far more uncertain, though, are the circumstances and events that led to Peterson's arrest.

The All-Pro running back is among those waiting for all the details of the incident to emerge.

On Sunday, Peterson thanked fans on Twitter for waiting until all the facts came out before jumping to conclusions and said the "truth will surface."

As to the conflicting stories about what led to his arrest, Peterson quoted the late, great Winston Churchill:

Anne Hathaway’s ‘Prada’ training for Catwoman

By Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
2012/7/8

Playing Selina Kyle (better known as Catwoman) in The Dark Knight Rises requires some serious acrobatic fighting in perilous high heels.

Thank the fashion gods Anne Hathaway had training when she starred in The Devil Wears Prada.

Hathaway credited her breakout role as a magazine editor assistant in 2006's Prada as fundamental training her for the required action in Dark Knight. It gave her the leg up on the skills needed to kick right alongside Batman (Christian Bale).

"The Devil Wears Prada was really good training for that," Hathaway said at a press conference on Sunday. "I kind of ran all up and down Manhattan then. Now I just ran up and

Samsung reportedly developing Windows RT tablet

The Korean hardware maker will use a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor in the new tablet, sources tell Bloomberg.
by Steven Musil July 8, 2012
As Samsung's Android legal woes mount, the hardware giant appears to be showing more interest Windows.
The Korean hardware giant plans to release a tablet running Windows RT when the forthcoming mobile operating system arrives later this year, sources tell Bloomberg. The news comes on the heels of Samsung's announcement that it would support Windows 8 with an all-in-one PC and a hybrid laptop-tablet.

Leaks, diversions, auditions are all part of veepstakes

Published July 08, 2012
Associated Press

Republican Mitt Romney is considering his choices for a running mate, one of the most significant decisions of his presidential campaign. And the secrecy that shrouds such a selection has given rise to political sideshows that play out in public while the more serious search operation takes place at a largely subterranean level.
Names of new Romney short-listers emerge; others fall by the wayside.
Any kind of proximity to Romney -- or his opponent -- generates questions about GOP veep ambitions.
Why did Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire walk in a July Fourth parade with Romney? Why did

More public schools splitting up boys, girls

HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Associated Press, JESSIE L. BONNER, Associated Press
Updated 02:23 p.m., Sunday, July 8, 2012

In this photo taken May 9, 2012, Middleton Heights Elementary Principal Robin Gilbert holds a baby chick while visiting an all-girls classroom of first- and second-graders at her school in Middleton, Idaho. Middleton is believed to be the only public school in Idaho offering all-boy and all-girl classrooms, though the movement is widespread in other states and is now being targeted by the American Civil Liberties Union in a bitter struggle over whether single-gender learning should be continued. Photo: Jessie L. Bonner / AP

In this photo taken May 9, 2012, Dillon Elledge, 8, right, and Brody Kemble, 7, second from right, work with flash cards in their all-boys classroom at Middleton Heights Elementary in Middleton, Idaho. Middleton is believed to be the only public school in Idaho offering all-boy and all-girl classrooms, though the movement is widespread in other states and is now being targeted by the American Civil Liberties Union in a bitter struggle over whether single-gender learning should be continued. . Photo: Jessie L. Bonner / AP

MIDDLETON, Idaho (AP) — Robin Gilbert didn't set out to confront gender stereotypes when she
split up the boys and girls at her elementary school in rural southwestern Idaho.
But that's exactly what happened, with her Middleton Heights Elementary now among dozens of public schools nationwide being targeted by the American Civil Liberties Union in a bitter struggle over whether single-sex learning should be continued. Under pressure, single-sex programs have been dropped at schools from Missouri to Louisiana.
"It doesn't frustrate me," Gilbert said of the criticism, "but it makes the work harder."
While Gilbert's school is believed to be the only one in Idaho offering single-sex classes, the movement is widespread in states like South Carolina, which has more than 100 schools that offer some form of a single-gender program.

Federer Beats Murray to Win 7th Wimbledon, Reclaim No. 1

Danielle Rossingh, ©2012 Bloomberg News
Published 04:45 p.m., Sunday, July 8, 2012
July 8 (Bloomberg) -- Men’s Grand Slam record holder Roger Federer overcame Andy Murray at Wimbledon to win his seventh title and regain the top ranking in tennis.

The third-seeded Federer fell backward onto the grass after he defeated No. 4 Murray, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 on Centre Court at the All England Club.

His 17th Grand Slam singles title and his first since the 2010 Australian Open extends Britain’s 76-year wait for a male Wimbledon champion by at least another year. Murray was urged on from the

Actor Ernest Borgnine dead at 95

By the CNN Wire Staff

July 8, 2012 Borgnine sits outdoors during the filming of Michael Curtiz's "The Best Things in Life Are Free" in 1956.

CNN) -- Film and television actor Ernest Borgnine, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a lovelorn butcher in 1955's "Marty," has died at age 95, his manager said Sunday.

Once a dominant fighter, Anderson Silva is now truly a great one

by Jeff Wagenheim July 8, 2012

We thought we knew what made Anderson Silva great. We had no idea.
We watched him destroy opponent after opponent ever since his UFC debut six years ago. Not one of his first 11 bouts in the organization that's home to the world's elite mixed martial artists even made him break a sweat. The rangy Brazilian with a dancer's fluidity and a matador's killer instinct outclassed everyone, even when he appeared to be barely trying. We thought we were seeing greatness.
We weren't. We were seeing dominance.
Greatness would not come until two summers ago, when Silva stepped into the octagon with Chael Sonnen. The UFC middleweight champion won that fight, too, but it wasn't the day at the beach his fights had been to that point. Silva took a beating from the loquacious Sonnen, a smothering wrestler who surprised the sport's greatest striker with his fisticuffs acumen. For the better part of 23 minutes, Anderson was on his back beneath a Chael blanket, eating punches and elbows. But then he pulled a

Former Beatle Ringo Starr marks 72nd birthday with peace, love

Published July 08, 2012 Associated Press
beatles band.jpg

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The 1960's mop top is gone, but Ringo Starr is still flashing a peace sign.
The former Beatle marked his 72nd birthday Saturday by holding a "peace and love" moment at noon. He asked people worldwide to do the same at 12 p.m. in their time zones.
The idea came to him in 2008 when an interviewer asked him what he wanted for his birthday. Since then, he has held events each year in cities such as New York, Chicago and Hamburg, Germany.

iPhone 5: The Good News And The Bad News

By Saqib Khan
We have two news about the iPhone 5 – the good news and the bad news. Let’s start with the good news first.

We have earlier reported that Apple may launch the iPad Mini by this year’s end. This smaller version of iPad will come with a screen size of 7 to 8 inches and it won’t feature Retina display.

The iPad Mini can be announced with the release of iPhone 5, in September or October of this year.

China's Wen warns economy under pressure

2012/7/8
SHANGHAI — Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Sunday that the country's economy faces downward pressure as he called for more aggressive moves to keep growth on track, state media reported.
China cut interest rates from Friday, following a similar move early last month, as the government seeks to avert a hard landing for the world's second-largest economy.
"Currently, China's economy is generally stable, but downward pressure is still relatively big," the official Xinhua news agency quoted Wen as telling a government meeting in the eastern city of Nanjing.
"We must take further steps to increase the strength of pre-emptive fine-tuning," he said, referring to economic policy.

What could tighter voter ID laws mean in November?

A study by the Associated Press found that legitimate votes have been rejected after many states passed tougher voter ID laws in order to prevent fraud.
By Mike Baker, Associated Press / July 8, 2012

When Edward and Mary Weidenbener went to vote in Indiana's primary in May, they didn't realize that state law required them to bring government photo IDs such as a driver's license or passport.
The husband and wife, both approaching 90 years old, had to use a temporary ballot that would be verified later, even though they knew the people working the polling site that day. Unaware that Indiana law obligated them to follow up with the county election board, the Weidenbeners ultimately had their votes rejected — news to them until informed recently

Boehner: Americans ‘Aren’t Going To Fall In Love’ With Romney

July 8, 2012

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks as Rep. Rob Portman, left, and Rep. John A. Boehner, the Speaker of the House, stand behind him during a campaign event at K’s Hamburger on June 17, 2012 in Troy, Ohio. (credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (CBSDC) — House Speaker John Boehner believes Americans “aren’t going to fall in love” with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

According to Roll Call, Boehner made the comment during a fundraiser in West Virginia on June 30 when a woman asked him: “Can you make me love Mitt Romney?”

“No,” Boehner said, according to Roll Call. “Listen, we’re just politicians. I wasn’t elected to play God. The American people probably aren’t going to fall in love with Mitt Romney. I’ll tell you this: 95 percent of the people that show up to vote in November are

Justin Bieber 'Driving Like a Maniac' in Studio City

See the TMZ report, City Councilman Dennis Zine said he should be arrested.
By Mike Szymanski and City News Service July 7, 2012

Justin Bieber was issued a speeding ticket today, after allegedly driving recklessly on the Hollywood (101) Freeway, authorities said.

Bieber, 18, was pulled over about 10:45 a.m. after allegedly speeding on the freeway between Coldwater Canyon and Vineland avenues, according to the California Highway Patrol.

(This wasn't far from where he had a minor fender-bump last year where he owns a condo in Studio City.)

"Two vehicles were seen traveling in a reckless manner southbound on US 101 near Coldwater Canyon," the CHP said in a statement. "It appeared the second of the two vehicles was chasing the vehicle in the front. A traffic stop was made on the lead vehicle, and the driver was identified as 18-year-old Justin Bieber,'' the CHP reported. "The second vehicle fled the area and (a) follow-up investigation is underway to determine

Yahoo, Facebook Settle Patent Dispute

By Cameron Scott, IDG News Jul 7, 2012
Yahoo and Facebook announced Friday they have settled a high-profile patent dispute with a deal that analysts said would likely be good for both sides.

As part of the agreement, Yahoo and Facebook have signed a cross-licensing deal granting access to each others' patent portfolios, they said in a joint statement. They've also forged an advertising partnership and will expand an existing content distribution agreement.

Yahoo sued Facebook in March under the leadership of former CEO Scott Thompson. It accused Facebook of infringing patents covering technologies related to social networking, advertising, privacy, site customization and communications. Facebook's News Feed and the way it handles privacy were both in violation of Yahoo's patents, Yahoo contended.

Apple Removes Green EPEAT Certification From All Products

By David Murphy July 7, 2012

Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Retina Display)

Word is starting to hit the airwaves that Apple has officially withdrawn its 39 products from EPEAT certification – that's the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, a program that awards products with "gold," "silver," or "bronze" classification based on how well they meet a variety of environmental-themed criteria including recyclability, energy consumption, and environmental impact.
That sounds like a lot of green gobbledygook, but it's a classification program that Apple appeared to take seriously up until the company's request for removal (announced early last month). In fact, Apple still touts its iMacs' EPEAT Gold status on their official product page although, as The Verge's Bryan Bishop notes, the gold status logo is now conspicuously absent

China Rejects US Criticism Involving Syria Conflict

VOA News
July 07, 2012

Beijing has rejected criticism by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that China and Russia are hampering efforts to end the Syrian conflict by supporting President Bashar al-Assad.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Saturday that Clinton's comments are "totally unacceptable."

He said China has wide support among members of the international community for its stance on Syria, and that any effort to slander China will fail.

Nearly $6M in Michigan ads to unseat Obama come from independent groups

July 6, 2012
By Todd Spangler
Detroit Free Press Washington Staff
WASHINGTON – More than $6 million has been spent on TV ads seeking to influence the presidential election – but it’s not the presidential campaigns themselves that are doing the spending.

An analysis from the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, based in Lansing, showed Friday that neither President Barack Obama nor Republican rival Mitt Romney has paid for TV advertising in Michigan since the contested GOP primary in the state – won by Romney – on Feb. 28.

6 new ways hackers are using malware

By Matthew Black, special to CBC News Posted: Jul 5, 2012 Malware, the malicious viruses and bugs employed by computer hackers to con and annoy, has become more prevalent in Canada than ever before, according to computer industry research. In fact, the volume of malicious software detected in 2011 was up 41 per cent over the previous year, said Dean Turner, director of Symantec Intelligence Group. At the same time, the complexity of computer viruses is also increasing. Long gone are the days when they were nuisances that scuttled Word documents. "The long and short of it is that today's malware is incredibly sophisticated," said Turner, who estimated that 90 per cent of it is used for cybercrime,

Extreme heat wave spreads across U.S.

July 7, 2012
(AP) PHILADELPHIA -

Highways buckled across the country, the waters of Lake Michigan were unusually warm for this time of year and even a minor train derailment outside Washington was blamed on heat as the hot weather gripping much of the country only worsened Saturday.

Temperatures of more than 100 degrees were forecast in Philadelphia and excessive heat warnings were issued for several states in the Midwest as the days of smothering heat piled on, accompanied by severe storms that have knocked out power in spots from Michigan to the East Coast.

Most notable was last weekend's sudden and severe storm that drenched the mid-Atlantic region, where thousands remained without electricity a week later.

Jeremy Lin agrees to Houston's offer sheet

By Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY
Restricted free-agent point guard Jeremy Lin agreed to Houston's four-year, $29 million offer sheet, a person familiar with negotiations told USA TODAY Sports Thursday.
The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly while negotiations were ongoing.
The person also told USA TODAY Sports that he expects the New York Knicks to match Houston's offer and retain the 23-year-old who dazzled the NBA and captivated the world with his improbable and unexpected rise to stardom with the Knicks last season.

Rivals come together for one goal

Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash are joining forces in an attempt to win an NBA title
By J.A. Adande | ESPN.com
July 5, 2012
This is the week Kobe Bryant went from acknowledging his advancing age to accepting it. Yes, there is a difference. It's one thing to say and joke that you're old; it's another thing to let that fact dictate your actions. I can't imagine Bryant teaming up with Steve Nash as recently as, say, 2010. But that's what two more years and two early playoff exits will do. They create urgency, which creates unlikely alliances.

Patrick Schwarzenegger Joins Taylor Swift on 'Amazing' 4th of July Beach Fun

July 06, 2012
Patrick Schwarzenegger, 18, celebrated independence day together with Taylor Swift, 22, on the beach. The twosome were joined by some members of the iconic Kennedy family, sailing at Hyannis Port in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

The son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the country music singer were caught on camera sharing laugh and taking a stroll along the beach with some male friends. She wore a sleeveless floral dress and traded it with a polkadot halter-neck one-piece swimsuit.

It's unclear whether they were dating or not. While Taylor didn't mention anything about the sunny-day outing, Patrick took to Twitter to gush, "Had such an amazing day. Best 4th of July I could ask for. Hope everyone had a great day!"

Samsung tips record Q2 operating profit of $5.9 bln

(AFP) 7/5/2012
SEOUL — South Korea's Samsung Electronics said Friday it expects a record operating profit of 6.7 trillion won ($5.9 billion) in the second quarter, amid strong sales of its mobile devices.
Samsung, the world's largest electronics company, was giving earnings guidance before official results later this month. The predicted operating profit for April-June would represent a 79 percent rise from a year earlier.
The previous highest operating profit was 5.85 trillion won in the first quarter.
The company estimated a 19 percent rise in sales to 47 trillion won in the second quarter. It did not give a net profit figure or explain its forecasts.

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